103-Year-Old Woman Credits Job For Her Longevity

103-year-old Ethel Stevenson says the secret to her longevity is her dedication to servicing the community.

Stevenson works every day at the Ethel V. Stevenson Senior Center in Ecorse—a building that bears her name to honor her 60-year career at the community center, WJBK reported.

Her job is to coordinate senior transportation, and when she hears senior citizens younger than her complaining about getting old, she tells them, “It’s nothing’s wrong getting old, they should be thankful. That’s what I tell them,” Ethel said before bursting out laughing.

The Georgia woman has outlived all 11 of her siblings, her husband, and two sons.

“She’s real diligent about being on time all of that kind of stuff,” says Lucille King, the senior center director. “She doesn’t want to miss a day when it is bad outside. We say, ‘Ethel, maybe you shouldn’t come out today,’ and she says, ‘Oh, no, I’m coming in today.’”

The Ecorse Senior Center Birthday Club will throw a birthday party next week for Ethel, who says her one wish is for people to help each other.

“Encourage people to be neighbors to one another. Do what you can to help your neighbor,” she says. “We don’t look for color; we don’t care what color. They can be red, blue, black, green and purple. It wouldn’t make any difference. If they are human, that’s what we like.”

Ethel says she only recently started thinking about retirement but has no plan on quitting her job anytime soon.